Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by Dermadone223344 »

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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by CEOCambodiaNews »

Feature article on how the traditional tuktuk drivers are dealing with competition from the apps - or not.

Many tuk-tuk drivers passing on the apps disrupting their industry, citing low pay and long hours
2 January 2018
As international giants Grab and Uber battle it out in Phnom Penh’s crowded ride-hailing industry, local apps have begun to expand their platforms by finally incorporating traditional Khmer tuk-tuks as options for rides. Some drivers, however, are seeing more liabilities than opportunities, with many fearing the apps will encroach on their livelihoods with lower rates and longer hours, while also feeling the pinch as their industry shifts beneath them.

The Post spoke to eight traditional tuk-tuk drivers in Phnom Penh, most of whom said their incomes had suffered since the rise of ride-hailing apps. They were sceptical about how much money they would be able to keep for themselves, though several expressed interest in using the apps in the future if their fears about profitability were allayed.

A common theme was confusion around how the services work, including misconceptions about having to be available at all hours and concerns about how to secure smartphones on motorbikes as they pulled their carriages.

Locally owned ride-hailing apps have built sizeable traction in recent months with cheap rides on three-wheeler autorickshaws, a smaller, metal-framed version of traditional Khmer tuk-tuks. Phnom Penh has seen a surge of the yellow autorickshaws take to the streets as leading apps PassApp and ExNet have risen in popularity...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-depth ... ow-pay-and
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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by Kammekor »

aei wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2017 1:58 am no matter how much you negotiate, a 6 KM tuk tuk ride in PP won't be under 5 dollars.
while in Bangkok I just paid 77baht (less than 3USD) for more than a 7KM ride, in a taxi.
Really? 5 USD would be the price to the airport, which is about 10 km, and if you pay that you're not a cheapskate because if you would use the right app you would pay about 16.000r for that ride, that's 4 USD.
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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by Kammekor »

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:01 am Feature article on how the traditional tuktuk drivers are dealing with competition from the apps - or not.

Many tuk-tuk drivers passing on the apps disrupting their industry, citing low pay and long hours
2 January 2018
As international giants Grab and Uber battle it out in Phnom Penh’s crowded ride-hailing industry, local apps have begun to expand their platforms by finally incorporating traditional Khmer tuk-tuks as options for rides. Some drivers, however, are seeing more liabilities than opportunities, with many fearing the apps will encroach on their livelihoods with lower rates and longer hours, while also feeling the pinch as their industry shifts beneath them.

The Post spoke to eight traditional tuk-tuk drivers in Phnom Penh, most of whom said their incomes had suffered since the rise of ride-hailing apps. They were sceptical about how much money they would be able to keep for themselves, though several expressed interest in using the apps in the future if their fears about profitability were allayed.

A common theme was confusion around how the services work, including misconceptions about having to be available at all hours and concerns about how to secure smartphones on motorbikes as they pulled their carriages.

Locally owned ride-hailing apps have built sizeable traction in recent months with cheap rides on three-wheeler autorickshaws, a smaller, metal-framed version of traditional Khmer tuk-tuks. Phnom Penh has seen a surge of the yellow autorickshaws take to the streets as leading apps PassApp and ExNet have risen in popularity...
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/post-depth ... ow-pay-and
I have talked to quite a few tuk tuk drivers using either exnet or passap, and all of them admit they have more work than before, they drive more km's than before, but they also have a higher profit at the end of the day. Of course the fact the new tricycle tuk tuks use LPG instead of petrol helps them costwise.

Also quite a few mentioned their working day passes much faster, driving around instead of hanging in their vehicle waiting for a customer.
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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by pczz »

timmydownawell wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:29 pm LOL, I just give them directions enroute - and if I don't know, I use Google Maps and give them directions from that.
which kinda assumes they know the difference between botchweng and botsdam left and right) :x
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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by timmydownawell »

pczz wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:51 pm
timmydownawell wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:29 pm LOL, I just give them directions enroute - and if I don't know, I use Google Maps and give them directions from that.
which kinda assumes they know the difference between botchweng and botsdam left and right) :x
Well I can never remember that so I just point, and yet my last tuk tuk driver still went right instead of left.
You must walk in traffic to cross the road - Cambodian proverb
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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by timmydownawell »

Also on that subject, some of the apps seem to be down today? PassApp, uGo711 and maybe Exnet?
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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by pczz »

timmydownawell wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2018 1:50 pm
pczz wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2018 12:51 pm
timmydownawell wrote: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:29 pm LOL, I just give them directions enroute - and if I don't know, I use Google Maps and give them directions from that.
which kinda assumes they know the difference between botchweng and botsdam left and right) :x
Well I can never remember that so I just point, and yet my last tuk tuk driver still went right instead of left.
Alphabet bot C hweng and bots D am. C is before D so it is left of d when you write it.
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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by angkorjohn »

I for one love these apps. I wish they would roll out in Siem Reap as well for when I'm there too. I've never had much of an issue with the tuk tuks but as more and more appeared in Phnom Penh they were earning less so demanding more (as was stated in this piece http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/t ... l-slowdown)

When you are dealing with guys who despite pounding these streets for 10-30 years yet still have no idea where the hell anything is unless you direct them or its near a market or a temple and then demanding xx dollars for the privilege, gets my goat a bit. I asked one from Phnom Penh tower to Russian Market he wanted $5 got passapp for $1.50 (that's with a 25 cent tip). I've discussed it with some of my old fave tuk tuk guys and they are a little concerned but also they still get used as they aren't in the habit of ripping folks off.

Happens all the time. I was coming outta KFC Norodom (old habits die hard!) the other day and saw some tuk tuk tryna screw over some japanese girls for five bucks just to take them to central market which is like 1km distance. I told them about the app and that it was too much. Well of course the tuk tuk guy wasn't happy but I told him, why you tryna rip these girls off? this is why people are sick of using you, with the app you know where yer going, how far and can work out roughly the price. some of these asshats think turning their engine on is a minimum 2 bucks.

I've never had one of these passapps or exenets try cheat me, turn up drunk or anything and plus they can see the destination on their phone.

If the tuk tuks dont sort themselves out then in 5 years time they just gonna be novelty rides for tourists like the cyclos before them.
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Re: Yawn . . . Clueless Tuktuk/taxi drivers

Post by Kuroneko »

angkorjohn wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2018 3:26 pm If the tuk tuks dont sort themselves out then in 5 years time they just gonna be novelty rides for tourists like the cyclos before them.
The Government are keen to phase them out, and with the increasing traffic congestion problems, I wouldn't be surprised if in five years they are all but gone from Phnom Penh.
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